What does a service do that helps winter conditions and cold starts?

Change the oil and filters!

Cold starts are notoriously bad for engines.

Newer oil is more viscous and will lubricate the engine much quicker.

As I've already said, let the dispute about how far oil has come on in recent years continue.

For me, two year old oil won't protect a cold engine as well as one year old oil.

Edited 9 November, 201015 yr by silver1011

Mine is on variable, indicates around 17-18k between variable services. I change the oil+filter inbetween services (@8-9k ish). Changing the oil makes NO difference at all to the miles/time remaining to next service indicator. Its only £40 or so for oil+filter so it eases my paranoia!

Ah thanks! That is the answer I was looking for - I'll be doing the same from now on.

"Paranoid" Bob.

I would have thought that the variable service interval for oil change was based on how the miles are covered, i.e. a tally kept of distance travelled,against oil temp, against engine load, against time.

i.e. all that stuff that the enginemanagment already moniters.

then an alogrithym calculates life expectance of the oil under these conditions > & predicts expected oil life remaining.

If it was a sensor in the sump one should not need to use the 507 spec oil,

cos the sensor should spot when the oil was/is going out of spec, yes?

.But since one must use 507 for variable servicing ,only this oils viscosity/performance must be written into the alogrithym, yes?

Cheers

M

PS

ours is running at 18,500 ish being 1660 driven plus 17,000 to change.

PPs

Just dipped her for the second time, not a drop of my precious oil used in the above 1660 miles, and still golden brown.( was that a song title ?)

wow

Edited 9 November, 201015 yr by dieseldogg

Change the oil and filters!

Cold starts are notoriously bad for engines.

Newer oil is more viscous and will lubricate the engine much quicker.

As I've already said, let the dispute about how far oil has come on in recent years continue.

For me, two year old oil won't protect a cold engine as well as one year old oil.

If that's what makes you happy. Castrol and the like spend millions developing oil for this application and you just 'pour it down the drain' (not literally hopefully!)

If that's what makes you happy. Castrol and the like spend millions developing oil for this application and you just 'pour it down the drain' (not literally hopefully!)

In a few years time this argument will be irrelevant as the powers that be will be making us all drive electric cars

In a few years time this argument will be irrelevant as the powers that be will be making us all drive electric cars

Ha very true...

If that's what makes you happy. Castrol and the like spend millions developing oil for this application and you just 'pour it down the drain' (not literally hopefully!)

But it still doesn't change the fact that fresher oil offers more protection than older oil.

How that actually affects the car's life and reliability we'll never know, which is why the there is no right or wrong answer to the variable versus fixed servicing discussion. It's all about personal choice, which is perhaps one of the reasons why Skoda offer both.

Your priority appears to be to minimise your running costs. My priority is to maximise my cars working life.

£150 a year to protect my £20,000 investment is a relatively small price to pay for longevity and peace of mind.

Accusing me of pouring money, or oil, down the drain is the same as me accusing you of being a tight arse. Neither of which are accurate.

On my Octavia it has the long life service( 30000km)

I myself don´t want any oil to go so long.

When I asked the dealer about changing at 15000km, they said no problem.

They would only change the oil and oil filter or anything else you want, then at 30000km it would be the normal service.

I was also told to always ask por pricing for doing this, lets say a fixed price on what are you going to pay before hand.

But it still doesn't change the fact that fresher oil offers more protection than older oil.

How that actually affects the car's life and reliability we'll never know, which is why the there is no right or wrong answer to the variable versus fixed servicing discussion. It's all about personal choice, which is perhaps one of the reasons why Skoda offer both.

Your priority appears to be to minimise your running costs. My priority is to maximise my cars working life.

£150 a year to protect my £20,000 investment is a relatively small price to pay for longevity and peace of mind.

Accusing me of pouring money, or oil, down the drain is the same as me accusing you of being a tight arse. Neither of which are accurate.

I am going to get longevity from my car. Oil should offer the same protection throughout its life hence the development in recent years and the cost per litre of the stuff. If it did not then variable/longlife service simply would not be offered. I'm not tight I just trust that the oil manufacturers and the car manufacturers are producing a good product, VAG by introducing long life servicing are endorsing the fact that this works and is proven.

And for what its worth i have a Bora and my VRS on long life servicing doing around 18k a year so that £150 a year you are quoting would be costing me £500ish a year. The Bora is now 5 years old with 76k under its belt and still running like day one. The MPG hasn't altered and the engine is still as tight as 65k ago. As I said before my mates Polo GT is over 100k now and is 5 years old and on longlife, again still running sweet. We have no plans to change the cars any time soon (including my mates Polo doing 30k a year), so shall we have this conversation again in another 100k?!

Call me tight if you like, but i am a beliver in technology. But then again you rely on what you think and days gone by instead of fact and new developments.....

http://www.changeyouroilchangeyourlife.com/faq2.html

http://www.shell.co.uk/home/content/gbr/products_services/on_the_road/oils_lubricants/shell_helix_tpkg/product_range_new/helix_ultra_extra/

If I was doing a higher mileage each year, this would generally mean longer journeys and more time with the car fully warmed up, and I would be happier doing more miles between oil changes.

My car is currently on fixed servicing (part of the deal when I got the car), and I have just had the first service at coincidently 10,000 miles and one year.

The thing that I always notice after having the oil changed is how much quieter (and smoother) the engine sounds. This was also the case when I changed the oil in SWMBO's Micra after one year and only 6,000 miles (only cost £21 for the oil and filter, with a litre left over).

The thing that I always notice after having the oil changed is how much quieter (and smoother) the engine sounds.

Interesting-I've noticed recently that mine is a bit noisy, especially when cold. It's almost like a tappety noise that you get on some cars when the oil is low. My oil level is spot on tho.

Incidentally, my old vRS (a PD) used to use a bit of oil-the oil light invariably came on @ 9,000 miles after a service, requiring half a litre to top up, and then needed servicing at 10,000.

It did mega miles-1,000 a week on average. Hmmmm........

I am going to get longevity from my car.

I don't disagree. I just believe a car that enjoys more frequent oil changes has a greater chance of lasting longer.

As others have mentioned my Scout also feels smoother and sounds quieter after a service.

Oil should offer the same protection throughout its life hence the development in recent years and the cost per litre of the stuff.

But it doesn't.

Today's oil is exactly the same oil that we've been extracting out of the ground for tens of years. The increase in cost is down to increased demand, the increased costs to extract the stuff and the fact it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find.

VAG by introducing long life servicing are endorsing the fact that this works and is proven.

Nope, it's called marketing, cleverly tailoring your product for different customers differing needs.

Variable servicing attracts fleet buyers. A huge portion of VAG's sales.

And for what its worth I have a Bora and my VRS on long life servicing doing around 18k a year so that £150 a year you are quoting would be costing me £500ish a year.

Which is why variable servicing is more cost effective for you and fixed servicing is more appropriate for me.

So shall we have this conversation again in another 100k?!

No, because for me that's almost a century away.

I am a beliver in technology. But then again you rely on what you think and days gone by instead of fact and new developments.....

No, you are claiming that the bold marketing claims of global billion dollar organisations are fact.

I am using the simple notion that newer and fresher oil offers increased protection compared to two year old, 20,000 mile oil.

http://www.changeyouroilchangeyourlife.com/faq2.html

http://www.shell.co.uk/home/content/gbr/products_services/on_the_road/oils_lubricants/shell_helix_tpkg/product_range_new/helix_ultra_extra/

Perfect examples of said 'clever marketing'. I think you'll find as much money is spent on promoting these claims as is invested in actual product development.

I very much hope your vRS enjoys many more trouble free miles

So Silver, what you're saying is that Mineral oil = Fully Synthetic oil?

and that VW in the 70's stopped advising 30 weight mineral oil for my Splitscreen camper in preference for 10/40 for nothing more than "marketing".

I guess you (and all the Formula 1 teams) are still using standard 30 weight Mineral oil then?

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by NikNak

Nope.

Mineral oil is a by-product of crude oil.

Synthetic oil uses crude oil but with added artificial chemical compounds and has in fact been around since World War II.

F1 teams use the same crude oil but I assume they use a very different mix of chemicals.

Skoda also recommend the same crude oil but with a chemical mix that is tailored to the needs of their engines.

It's all the same crude oil.

So Silver, what you're saying is that Mineral oil = Fully Synthetic oil?

and that VW in the 70's stopped advising 30 weight mineral oil for my Splitscreen camper in preference for 10/40 for nothing more than "marketing".

I guess you (and all the Formula 1 teams) are still using standard 30 weight Mineral oil then?

LOL - you'll never win mate, he knows eveything. Multi Billion pound oil industries are lying to us about how good their products are now. Saves us money anyway as we can just put £1.50 a gallon mineral oil in our CR engines as its all the same anyway!!

I don't disagree. I just believe a car that enjoys more frequent oil changes has a greater chance of lasting longer.

As others have mentioned my Scout also feels smoother and sounds quieter after a service.

Part truth, part placebo. The sump has a sensor so it won't let you carry on with crap oil it will tell you to service it

Today's oil is exactly the same oil that we've been extracting out of the ground for tens of years. The increase in cost is down to increased demand, the increased costs to extract the stuff and the fact it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Really? Thanks for teaching me something today The increase in cost is the increase in technology that goes into the oil not the fact it is difficult to find. The seas around the Falklands has billions of barrels of oil ready to be tapped into (i know because i have enough shares in the drilling companies!)

Nope, it's called marketing, cleverly tailoring your product for different customers differing needs.

Really? I haven't seen it marketed to be honest. Unless you were a member of a forum like this you would just think that the display told you. I was never told anything about servicing when i got this or the Bora (both from brand new). I only know due to being interested in cars

Variable servicing attracts fleet buyers. A huge portion of VAG's sales.

I presume that you have proof of this? I happen to know 2 people who do fleet for 2 different companies (one of which deals with thousands of fleet cars all over the country). They get cars based on cost not servicing. They are with VAG again now after a 4 year break to Ford, and lots of manufacturers do variable servicing anyway now.

Which is why variable servicing is more cost effective for you and fixed servicing is more appropriate for me.

Didn't say it was - just proving i wasn't tight

No, because for me that's almost a century away.

WOW, you only do 1k a year? I was on about my car and my mates car. I will update you on what work was needed between 100-200k (that will be 3 years time on my mates car)

No, you are claiming that the bold marketing claims of global billion dollar organisations are fact.

So your saying that its false? Quick everyone get your claim in!!

I am using the simple notion that newer and fresher oil offers increased protection compared to two year old, 20,000 mile oil.

Refer to my earlier point about the oil quality sensor

Perfect examples of said 'clever marketing'. I think you'll find as much money is spent on promoting these claims as is invested in actual product development.

Would like to see you put an FOI request in to Shell or Castol to back this up

I very much hope your vRS enjoys many more trouble free miles

I will as long as i don't have to but anymore tyres due to sodding punctures :'(

LOL - you'll never win mate, he knows eveything. Multi Billion pound oil industries are lying to us about how good their products are now. Saves us money anyway as we can just put £1.50 a gallon mineral oil in our CR engines as its all the same anyway!!

It's not about winning, may be that's your intention. It appears to me that for some reason you can't accept that not everyone swears by variable servicing.

This thread is full of valid arguments for and against yet you only seem prepared to listen to what you want to hear.

You prefer variable, I prefer fixed, for different but valid reasons.

If Castrol launched a new brand of oil tomorrow and ran a full page advert claiming "life long oil", you'd believe them right?

It actually already exists and is used by BMW in their gearboxes, read the small print however and they recommend changing it at 100,000 miles. Clever marketing or decieving?

You decide.

Edited 10 November, 201015 yr by silver1011

It's not about winning, may be that's your intention. It appears to me that for some reason you can't accept that not everyone swears by variable servicing.

This thread is full of valid arguments for and against yet you only seem prepared to listen to what you want to hear.

You prefer variable, I prefer fixed, for different but valid reasons.

If Castrol launched a new brand of oil tomorrow and ran a full page advert claiming "life long oil", you'd believe them right?

It actually already exists and is used by BMW in their gearboxes, read the small print however and they recommend changing it at 100,000 miles. Clever marketing or decieving?

You decide.

Not about winning at all its about stating VALID FACTS and not hear say or what people know, rely on from years gone by. Its like vauxhall with their lifetime warranty except its only for 100k! Do vauxhall only expect their cars to last 100k. We all know that its false but it is the manufacturers covering themselves.

BMW recommend it probably because they can't test real life situations and say 100k to cover themselves more than anything. Same with the age old cambelt arguement. Is it 40k, its is 4 years, is it 80k? You decide! VW haven't got a clue as they can't test every situation but rest assured if they are saying 80k you can bet your life it would go to 150k!

I don't claim to know anything about oil and really don't want to. All i know is that both my cars take 507.00 oil and will tell me when it needs changing. VAG endorse it and would not 'sell' it if it shortened the life of the components and Castol and Shell can't stop advertising it. If any part of it was false I think that the advertising watchdogs would come down on them like a ton of bricks. I would rather trust these valid facts and arguements than go by what somebody thinks.

I am just backing the variable service corner as everyone thinks its bad based on hearsay and no real evidence that it does shorten life besides an oil pump going at 140k in a Mk1 which to be fair could go at anytime with any oil on any car.

If someone is prepared to present proof (taxi drivers would be a great one or high miler fleet drivers) then i would sit up and listen but until then Variable Service FTW .....If you do more than 10k a year of course.